From White Wolf's Vampire: The Masquerade game series. This is the name given to the tradition of the Kindred (vampires) hiding themselves from the Kine (humans). They have learned over the centuries that it is better for them to hide from the knowledge of mortals, lest they be discovered and hunted to extinction. Humans far outnumber the Kindred, and armed with UV lights and flamethrowers, they would die out very fast indeed.

Those Kindred foolish enough to violate the Masquerade are usually executed.

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The second installment to the Blue Bloods series by Melissa de la Cruz. Schuyler travels to Venice with Oliver to find her grandfather. For a few months the silver blood attacks have stopped for a while, but Schuyler is convinved they're not over.

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An event or party of sorts where participants hold or wear masques (yes, masquerade masques), props, and most of the time, more favorably, costumes. Think of it as a game, where whoever can keep there identity hidden the longest wins. According to some experts, masquerade balls were a feature of the Carnival season in the 15th century, and involved increasingly elaborate allegorical Royal Entries, pageants and triumphal processions celebrating marriages and other events of late medieval court life. They became popular throughout main Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries, sometimes with fatal results. Masquerade balls were sometimes set as a game among the guests. Obviously, the masked guests were supposedly dressed so as to be unidentifiable. This would create the "game" to see if a guest could determine each other's identities. It added a humorous effect to many masques and parties, and enabled a more enjoyable version of typical balls. It's basically as a circus or Halloween party, although, they're thrown pretty much anytime of year. It's an interesting twist because there are so many themes you can pick, it's impossible to be bored (but if the theme's not your style, don't show up). They're also known as a masquerade party or a masquerade ball.